Martinsville’s jobless rate is on the rise again, while the rates in Henry and Patrick counties fell slightly in October, according to data released Wednesday by the Virginia Employment Commission.

At 14.8 percent in October, Martinsville’s seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate remains the highest in the state.

That rate represents a slight increase from the 14.7 percent in September, but a marked decrease from the 16.3 percent rate a year ago, according to data from the VEC.

Henry County’s jobless rate decreased to 9.3 percent in October from 9.5 percent in September and 10.9 percent a year ago, according to the VEC.

In Patrick County, the unemployment rate fell from 7.3 percent in September to 7.0 percent in October and 8.6 percent a year ago, data showed.

In addition to Martinsville, the localities with the top five highest rates were Williamsburg, 12.3 percent; Emporia, 11.2; Lexington, 10.3 percent, and Petersburg, 10.1 percent, according to the VEC.

“The largest employment decline from October a year ago occurred in manufacturing, down 3,800 jobs, or 1.6 percent. Other over-the-year losses occurred in construction, down 3,400 jobs, or 1.9 percent; information, down 2,800 jobs, or 3.8 percent; and mining, down 900 jobs, or 8.1 percent,” the VEC reported.

The October unemployment rate in the Martinsville Micropolitan Statistical Area was 10.3 percent, with a total work force of 29,372, including 3,036 people unemployed and 26,336 employed, data showed.

The Culpeper Micropolitan Statistical Area had a labor force of 21,842, with 20,578 employed, 1,264 unemployed and an unemployment rate of 5.8 percent, data showed.

With an unemployment rate of 5.4 percent, the Staunton-Waynesboro Micropolitan Statistical Area included a total labor force of 61,345, with 58,004 employed and 3,341 jobless, according to the VEC.

The Danville region had the highest unemployment rate among Virginia’s metropolitan regions at 7.7 percent. The Washington metropolitan region, which includes Arlington and Alexandria, had the lowest jobless rate of 4 percent.

Arlington County had Virginia’s lowest jobless rate — 3.2 percent — in October, followed by 3.8 percent in Loudoun and Fairfax counties.

The statewide rate for October was 5.4 percent.

Nationally, the seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate for October was 7.5 percent. Rates dropped from last year in 329 metropolitan areas, increased in 37 and were flat in six, The Associated Press reported.